The Splinter
by Sarvajith
Summary: This is my first fanfic. A Yahiko Tsubame one shot. I'm not sure this story deserves a summary.


Disclaimer: I don't own rurouni Kenshin or any of the other cool characters. Technically, even the splinter belongs to the akabeko.

So, this is my first fanfic. Reviews and constructive criticisms would be welcome.

p.s. I only have a vague idea of the akabeko.

so please feel free to correct me anytime.

characters: Tsubame and Yahiko.

The Splinter:

Tsubame wandered around the akabeko, serving customers with less than her little enthusiasm and perhaps a bit absent mindedly. She even got scolded by Tae on an occasion when the stew ended up on a customer's head instead of his table. 'What is wrong with that girl? she's been like this all morning', Tae wondered as she pacified the irate customer.

Tsubame's thoughts ,on the other hand, were fixed on a certain customer whom she expected to make an appearance that evening. Both Yahiko and her had been playing hide and seek with their feelings for too long felt Tsubame. "Today", she had thought that morning, "Today I'm going to tell him outright how I feel about him." But , being the shy and perpetually (a little bit) frightened girl she was, the task before her had terrified her initially. But , over the course of the day, pondering over it in her pretty little head she had enacted and re-enacted the scene a billion times in her mind while wandering around the akabeko ( hence her uncharacteristic clumsiness which caused a lot of grief to one unlucky customer ).

The unfortunate customer had left but not before flinging the empty bowl (the stew having taken up residence on his head) on the wooden floor. Tae, now slightly irritated by the turn of events, rounded on Tsubame. "Why can't you...", she began and then left off as she saw the tears that began forming at the edges of her young helper's eyes. Then, looking patronizingly at her, she continued in a softer tone," Pay more attention to your work. I don't want to see that happening again. I had to let that last customer go without even paying for that stew." Tsubame nodded seriously and turned away hurriedly, mouthing an apology. But even as she walked away, she stumbled and fell headfirst on the floor, her footwear flying to hit a suprised Yahiko, who was just entering square on his forehead.

"What's that for?", he yelped indignantly as he rubbed his forehead. "Oh Yahiko-kun! I'm so sorry!" cried Tsubame as she scrabbled forward. As she came to her feet , she felt a sharp pain in her foot. " Ow!" she almost cried out, but bit her lip just in time.

She smiled at Yahiko inspite of the pain as she slipped on her shoes. To Yahiko it looked like like a grimace. "Are you all right?" he asked as she hurried away. " I'm alright Yahiko-kun" she cheerily shouted back. Although to the others it seemed as if she were strangling every word out. "I'll get you some stew" she shouted and hurried away. Once she was out of sight she quickly examined her foot. She was horrified to see a huge splinter gone in almost all the way just beneath her big toe. Slowly she drew it out and washed the injury. She sighed thinking "Why today of all days?". She could feel the tears rising to her eyes but quickly blinked them back thinking "Yahiko-kun always wanted me to be strong and brave. So, I can't be like this. I'm not chickening out!".

So, grabbing a bowl of stew, she went back to him and gave him her most winning smile (but unfortunately for her, it still looked like a grimace) and set down the biwl before him, desperately trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her foot. Then she hurried back. Yahiko looked at her retreating figure with increasing concern. "Is something wrong with her?" he asked Tae. "I don't know. She's been acting really strange today." she said.

"I'm going to check on her. I'll be right back" he said and went after her. He found her alone in a corner hopping on one foot and mumbling something incoherent. "Has she gone mad?" he wondered. Then Tsubame caught sight of him and stopped abruptly."Uh...eh..Yahiko-kun.." she stammered. " Tsubame" he said, moving close to her, "Is something wrong?".

"Ooooh..! Its all going wrong. I was supposed to corner him somewhere and tell him what I felt ( and maybe kiss him too ). But then this splinter happens and everything goes wrong" she thought. She could feel the tears of frustration welling up in her eyes."And now this. Yahiko-kun would think her weak and cowardly and he would ..." and so went Tsubame's train of thought.

"Tsubame," Yahiko began gently lifting her chin so he could look her in the eyes "What's wrong?"."Yahiko-kun... I wanted to say... but...a splinter... my foot..I was afraid..." she stammered,"Oh Yahiko-kun! I just wanted to say I love you!" she finished and blushed deeply, tears running down her cheeks, her face downcast. Yahiko looked at her strangely for a moment and said softly "Well..why didn't you say so?" he asked before lifting her chin and softly pressing his lips on hers."

Tsubame stood stunned for a moment before her instincts took over and she started kissing him back thinking "Maybe that splinter wasn't so bad after all."

Author's notes: So here ends my first fanfic. Sorry, this was all I could think of right now. Reviews would be greatly feel free to inform me of any mistake I might have committed.


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